Ismail Akwei is an international journalist, communications and media consultant, editor, writer, human rights advocate, pan-Africanist, tech enthusiast, history fanatic and a lover of arts and culture. He has worked with multinational media companies across the continent and has over a decade's experience in journalism. He is currently the editor of face2faceafrica.com.

Three months after the brutal gang-rape and murder of 12-year-old Aisha Ilyas Adan in Somalia, three men have been found guilty and sentenced to death by a Somali court in Garowe, the capital of Puntland State.

Local media Garowe Online reports that Abdifitah Abdirahman Warsame, Abdisalan Abdirahman Warsame and Abdishakur Mohamed Dige were sentenced on Sunday while seven other suspects were acquitted.

JUST IN: A court in #Garowe, Puntland capital sentences 3 men to death for brutal rape & murder of Aisha Ilyes, a 12-year-old girl in #Galkayo last Feb.

Aisha’s killing sparked protests and rage among Somalis and the diaspora who demanded justice for little Aisha who went missing for a few hours on February 24 and was later found dumped near her house after she was gang-raped, tortured and murdered.

Aisha Ilyas Adan was reported missing in the evening after she didn’t return from a market in the town which is notorious for rape and clashes between local militia.

At the time of the incident, the regional police chief, Ahmed Osman, told Garowe Online that suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of Aisha and others were on the run.

The swift action of the authorities followed series of demonstrations which was started by women resident in the town who marched through the streets calling on the Puntland State authorities to take action and find the rapists to face justice.